“I’m stepping onto the balcony for a second, sweetheart,” I tell her. “You stay with the pup.”
“Okay,” she says softly, eyes drifting to the dog’s ears again.
My protective instincts are getting the best of me today. I open the balcony door and step outside. Cool air hits my face, and I draw a slow breath.
I start to dial Rivera’s number, but before I even have a chance, my phone starts ringing. It’s Rivera. I answer quickly. “Where are you guys right now?”
Static crackles. Then Rivera’s voice comes through. His voice sounds tight and a bit alarmed. “Slate. We got a problem.”
I freeze. “Where are you?”
“Hydro Relief. The affiliate of REACH off County Twelve.”
I close my eyes for a second. “How could you fuckin’ take her there?”
“She had a fake press pass. Said she just wanted to take a tour. There was a sign about community tours between four and five PM, right before they close for the day. I stayed in the lobby. She finished the tour and texted me. There’s a restricted area she wanted to check out. Told me she’d text once she got there. That was fifteen minutes ago. I’m going looking for her, but I don’t like the sound of this.”
Anger punches through me, fast and sharp. “Why the hell would you let her roam inside a building tied to the same people who put a bounty on her head and hired that asshole to hunt her down?”
“They put a bounty on her? That’s pretty fucked up,” Rivera says.
“You should have told me what you were up to,” I spit out.
“She didn’t want you to be distracted with less important shit when you were tracking down her stalker. I figured if you guys were occupied with him, then we’d be safe.”
“He turned out to be a fuckin’ contract killer.”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Slate. You got him though, right?” he asks with naked fear in his voice.
“You fuckin’ know that I did, brother. That fucker was a wealth of information, too. Now tell me about Christina.”
His voice turns worried. “Like I said. She went on the tour and then when it was over she pretended to go to the restroom and snuck back in. She never came back out. She told me she washeading to the west wing. I’m outside the building now trying to figure out another way to get to that part.”
My anxiety flares enough for my hand to tighten on the railing. “You think she’s in danger or just hiding out in there waiting for everyone to leave so she can snoop around?”
“I don’t know. It could be either. She told me she’d text me, it might just be that there’s no reception down there. Most everyone has left the building. There’s only a couple of cars left in the parking lot.”
“That could be their nighttime security.”
“All I know is if they found her, I’m gonna need backup to get her back out again.”
A short silence spins out between us, because we both know what this means. It means war with this huge multinational corporation, something we’re not gonna pull off without some bloodshed.
“I’m coming,” I say. “Do not engage anyone alone. We gotta hope that Christina knows enough to keep herself safe until we come and get her. If they leave with her, follow them.”
“I parked my vehicle out of range of their security cameras, on the left side of the building. I’ll hold position until you get here no matter what.”
With that, the call ends. I let out a shaky breath, because I’ve just realized that I will tear the world apart to keep Christina safe.
I text Queenie first.
Me: Come get Katie. Now. No questions. Watch over her until I get back.
Her reply comes a second later:
Ma: Sure thing, honey. On my way.
I text my father and brothers.
